• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • About Me
    • Contributors

Sees Food, Will Travel logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • About Me
    • Contributors
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • About Me
      • Contributors
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Soup

    Published: Nov 1, 2022 · Updated: Jun 5, 2023 by Joanne

    Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    One of the most comforting things about fall and winter is eating as much soup as possible. Czech garlic soup or česnečka is an easy and quick recipe that will perfectly satisfy any spontaneous soup cravings. Made with ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen, this humble soup will blow you away!

    Garlic comfort soup in a bowl next to an onion and bulbs of garlic

    Update Disclosure: This post has been updated for one or more of the following reasons: easier reading, updated photos, clearer instructions, and just plain ol' improvements to the recipe (as noted).

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Substitutes
    • Recipe Tips
    • Make Croutons Ahead of Time
    • How to Make Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka)
    • How to Serve
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka) Recipe
    • Have You Tried This Recipe?

    I love Czech food because all dishes are indeed home-cooked comfort food, and there is diversity within the same dish. It carries the same spirit of many traditional home-cooking cultures, such as the one I came from. Every family and cook makes their version of česnečka, and no two will be identical despite similar ingredients.

    Why You'll Love This Recipe

    I first tried this Czech garlic soup or česnečka in the middle of a chilly winter in Prague and I ended up ordering it as an appetizer for every meal. Every garlic soup at each restaurant was slightly different! I knew I wanted to remake this recipe at home. Why? Well, it's..

    • ... super comforting.
    • mind-blowingly simple!
    • cheeeeesssyyy (if you want it to be)!

    Ingredients

    Sliced onions, garlic, parsley, potatoes and other ingredients on a marble countertop

    This soup comes in many forms and it's up to you how traditional or personal you want to make it. Here are the most common ingredients you will need:

    • Garlic
    • Onion
    • Potato
    • Unsalted Butter
    • Chicken Broth/Stock/Bouillon
    • Dried Marjoram
    • Cumin
    • Salt

    Optional Ingredients

    Remember when I said to make it to your preference? Here are more ingredients I've seen in different types of Czech garlic soup:

    • Egg (optional): It's a popular addition to this soup. Whisk the egg in a bowl before adding it to the boiling water. Then stir the water with a fork vigorously as you slowly pour in the egg. The movement will create egg ribbons.
    • Cheese (optional): Some recipes recommend using an easy-melting cheese such as grated Swiss or Emmental. Another option I used is Camembert because it's milder in taste. But I found that mozzarella cheese works the best.
    • Fresh Parsley (optional): Use it as a topping after spooning some Czech garlic soup into a bowl. 
    • Rye Bread Croutons (optional): The croutons are fantastic toppings to this soup. The toasted tangy taste of the fried bread adds another flavor profile to the soup.

    Substitutes

    • Chicken Broth/Stock/Bouillon: The other versions I've had typically uses a vegetable base. But feel free to use whatever you like!

    • Vegetables: Garlic is a MUST (there is garlic in the name). But you can add different vegetables so long as they are diced small.

    • Dried Marjoram: You can use either dried marjoram or fresh marjoram (use to taste). But dried oregano works well as a replacement for dried marjoram in a pinch.

    • Croutons: You don't have to make croutons from scratch and you can use bagged croutons instead. Or you can just leave it out completely!

    Recipe Tips

    • Sauté Away: It's essential to sauté the potatoes, garlic, and onions in the rendered bacon fat and butter to develop flavors before adding the broth. 

    • If You Are Using Bouillon: Add about three to four cups of water. Check that your chicken bouillon melts completely and taste test to see if you need an additional bouillon.

    • Must Grate Garlic: If you are a garlic lover or know someone who is, grate just a bit more garlic over the soup right before you serve it. You'll get a punchy garlic flavor that many people love!
    Grated garlic on grater above a bowl of soup

    Make Croutons Ahead of Time

    1. Cube rye bread slices.
    2. Heat butter or neutral oil in a pan, and then add the cubed bread. 
    3. Leave the bread pieces to pan fry for about one minute.
    4. Toss them around the pan to evenly cook and continue cooking for one more minute.
    5. Repeat step 4 two more times or until they are crispy.
    6. Set them aside in a strainer to stay crispy while making the soup.
    Slices of rye bread frying in a pan
    Pieces of brown crouton in a pan

    How to Make Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka)

    Garlic, onions, bacon, and potatoes in a silver pot
    Seasonings in a česnečka or garlic soup in a pot
    Czech garlic comfort soup in a pot

    Here are the basic steps of what you'll do:

    1. Melt the butter and render bacon in same pot.
    2. Add the potatoes, onions, and garlic.
    3. Toss them around in the pot together with the butter and rendered bacon fat.
    4. Cook until the onions are soft and transparent and then add the seasonings.
    5. Simmer for twenty minutes then grate garlic into the pot.

    How to Serve

    Take a bowl and fill the bottom with as much shredded or chunky cheese as you want. I used chunky cheese in my photos, but I also love using shredded cheese for those irresistible cheese pulls!

    Closeup of Czech garlic soup or česnečka with cheese and egg
    Another Czech garlic soup version I made with egg and mozzarella cheese

    Top the česnečka with chopped parsley and croutons then serve it while it's still hot.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you pronounce česnečka?

    Česnečka is pronounced as chess-netch-ka. It's a simple garlic soup made with chicken stock and herbs such as marjoram and cumin.

    Can I make česnečka in a slow cooker?

    This soup takes only twenty minutes to make in a pot so you don't need to use a slow cooker!

    Czech Garlic Soup (Česnečka) Recipe

    This Czech style garlic soup is full of flavor and comfort. Made with a few simple ingredients, you can whip this up quickly to warm yourself on chilly days. The recipe is a guideline you can follow to make your own comforting version of česnečka.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Czech, European
    Servings 2 people
    Calories 404 kcal
    Disclosure

    The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 50 grams bacon sliced (~ 2 slices)
    • 1 tbsp unsalted butter
    • 4-6 cloves garlic, sliced
    • ½ onion, diced small
    • 1 medium potato, medium diced
    • 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ⅙ teaspoon black pepper powder
    • salt, to taste
    • 1 liter chicken broth or 10 grams chicken bouillon with 1 liter of water
    • 1-2 cloves garlic, grated

    Optional Ingredients

    • 2 slices rye bread, made into croutons optional
    • 1 egg, whisked optional
    • melting cheese such as Swiss, Mozzarella, or Camembert optional
    • chopped parsley for garnish optional

    Instructions
     

    • Melt butter and pan fry bacon in the same pot on medium heat. About 3-4 minutes. Add onions, sliced garlic, and potatoes to the pot stirring gently to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom.
      Garlic, onions, bacon, and potatoes in a silver pot
    • Once onions are soft and translucent, add marjoram, cumin, chicken broth, and black pepper. Stir then bring to a boil then lower heat to medium low or until you get a low simmer. Simmer for 15 mins.
      Czech garlic comfort soup in a pot
    • Grate one or two cloves of garlic into the pot. Stir it in, then cook for another 5 minutes. Taste test and add salt as needed.
    • Optional: Use a fork to stir the pot while you slowly pour the whisked egg into the soup to create ribbons of eggs.
    • Optional: Add some shredded melting cheese at the bottom of a bowl, then ladle soup on top. Garnish with chopped parsley and croutons.
    • Serve while hot.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 42gProtein: 15gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 123mgSodium: 2242mgPotassium: 750mgFiber: 5gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 327IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 95mgIron: 3mg
    Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated with the Spoonacular Food API and should be used for informational purposes only.
    Keyword cesnecka, cheesy garlic soup, comfort food, czech garlic soup, czech soup, garlic, garlic soup, soup

    Have You Tried This Recipe?

    Simply rate the recipe by clicking on the ⭐️s on the recipe card. Have something to say? Please leave me a comment down below telling me what you think of this recipe.

    Bonus: Let me and other readers know what you did to make this recipe your own - 💫 let's inspire each other!

    Also, follow me on Instagram [@seesfoodwilltravel] and send me a DM with a picture of what you made. I would love to share and celebrate YOUR creation with our budding community 💞

    Check out Sees Food, Will Travel on Pinterest and Facebook for more delicious updates.

    More Soup

    Reader Interactions

    5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Joanne!

    Living abroad has taught me how food plays an important role in making connections worldwide. I love pies, Asian food, anything made from potatoes, and wine when it comes to food.

    You can learn more about me here.

    I created this site to track my gastronomy adventures, record inspired recipes, and help others build meaningful (and delicious!) travel itineraries.

    Cheers!

    Just Ube Things

    • Ube tres leches cake recipe
      Ube Tres Leches Cake Recipe

    • Ube crunch cake close up with whipped cream
      Ube Crunch (Dump) Cake

    • Ube butter mochi squares of different sizes
      Ube Butter Mochi

    Latest Food Guides

    • Chkmeruli with white garlic sauce in a clay pan
      Classic Georgian Main Dishes To Try in Tbilisi

    • 10+ Georgian Appetizers and Snacks

    • Flat white in a teal mug on a wooden table at a cafe in Budapest
      10+ Budapest Cafes Worth a Visit

    Don't know where to start? See everything I've ever written here.

    Footer

    Currently

    I love anything that has to do with travel, eating, and cooking.

    Nowadays I am getting to know my Filipino heritage by developing some recipes of my own. Check out some Filipino recipes - you will love it 💕

    • Contact
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy

    Get the Latest Recipes

    stay connected

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Other Useful Links

    • Recipe Index
    • Travel & Food Guide Index

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Sees Food, Will Travel is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to these affiliate sites.

    Copyright © 2025 Sees Food, Will Travel

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.